We are an international team of chemists, physicists, geoscientists, nanoscientists and engineers. We use nanotechniques to explore interactions between natural solids and fluids (anything that flows, water, oil, CO2, O2, other gases) and apply the new insight to solve some of society’s major challenges.

Develop natural nanoparticles to keep water safe and to remove contamination (Remediation)

Recover a higher proportion of the oil in limestone, chalk and sandstone (Enhanced Oil Recovery)

Reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere by conversion to stable solids (Carbon Capture & Storage)

Solve the mysteries about how organisms create shells, bones and teeth (Biomineralization)

Sometimes our experience helps answer other questions. We characterised the volcanic ash from Eyjafjallajökull, which closed European airspace and we wrote a protocol for assessing ash particle risks. We explored very old rocks to learn more about early life on Earth and we advised NASA about the most likely sites for finding organic remnants of life in the rocks on Mars.

We combine theory with experiment. Our facilities include custom designed instruments, optimised for investigating natural materials and their reactivity. Our collection of expertise and equipment is unique in the world. We are a part of the Nano-Science Center and we form the Materials Chemistry Research Section of the Department of Chemistry, at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

We have given hundreds of presentations at conferences, workshops, schools and libraries, we publish in the international scientific literature and the public media and we have produced hundreds of industrial, technical and advisory board reports.

Our work is funded by government agencies, i.e. the European Commission for Science (EC), Denmark and the UK (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, EPSRC) and by the private sector.